About Yad Vashem

US Vice President Joe Biden Visits Yad Vashem

US Vice President Joe Biden in the Holocaust History MuseumUS Vice President Joe Biden, along with his wife Dr. Jill Biden, study the Auschwitz Album on display in the Holocaust History Museum. They are guided by Dr. David Silberklang, editor of Yad Vashem StudiesUS Vice President Joe Biden in the Hall of Names

US Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden laying a wreath during the memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance

On March 9, 2010, US Vice President Joe Biden, along with his wife Dr. Jill Biden, visited Yad Vashem. They were accompanied by Yad Vashem Director General Nathan Eitan. Though Biden had previously visited Yad Vashem, this was his first time in the Holocaust History Museum, which opened in 2005. Biden was guided by Dr. David Silberklang, editor of Yad Vashem Studies.

Vice President Biden toured the Holocaust History Museum and the Hall of Names, participated in a memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance, and visited the Children’s Memorial. He then signed the Visitors’ Book and delivered short remarks.
From the Visitors’ Book:

Everyday we remember
We will never forget. Peace

Jill Biden
Second Lady
United States of America

Every day Israel makes a lie of the poet's words - too long a suffering makes a stone of the heart

Joe Biden 3/9/10

Remarks by VP Biden:
I want to thank our hosts for escorting us through Yad Vashem.
As a young father, when I introduced each of our sons - who are grown men now - to Europe, I took them first to Dachau so they could understand as young men... the ability of mankind to be so brutal. But also I took my son here to Israel, to let him know that the indomitable spirit of human beings is not able to be snuffed out.
What I wrote in the book, is - as a fan of the Irish poet William Butler Yeats writing about his Ireland - he said, too long a suffering makes a stone of the heart. What I wrote here is that, every day Israel makes a lie of the poet's words, ‘too long a suffering makes a stone of the heart.’
Because for world Jewry, Israel is the heart, for world Jewry Israel is the light, for world Jewry Israel is the hope.
If anyone ever wondered about that, they ought to take a tour of the museum, they will not doubt it again.